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(Model.)

0. A. GILBERT.

NECK BAND SHAPER. FOR BOSOM BOARDS. No. 277,705. Patented May 15, 1883.

UNITED v STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES A. GILBERT, OF GLENS FALLS, NEW YORK.

NECKBAND-SHAPER FOR BOSOM-BOARDS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 277,705, dated May 15, 1883. Application filed March 30, 1883. (Model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES A. GILBERT, of Glens Falls, in the county of Warren and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Neckband-Shapers for Bosom-Boards; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a plan of the shaper opened to expand a neckband. Fig. 2 shows the same closed, and Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section on line 3/ 3 of Fig. 2.

My invention relates to devices to aid in ironing shirts, and has especially for its object to provide a device for properly shaping the neckbands of shirts when being ironed.

My invention consists in certain details of construction and combinations of devices, as will be hereinafter fully described, and specifically pointed out in the claim," whereby I obtain a neckband-shaper which will be easily adjusted within the neckband.

In order that those skilled in the art-may make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe the manner in which I have carried it out. 7

In the said drawings, A B are two blocks, each having one straight side, b, and one curved side, d, and hinged at 0, so their bases f or,

larger ends may be made to approach or recede from each other. When pivoted together the general outline of the former is a low sweeping curve of a shape most desirable for the form of the laundried neckband, but at the rear end or butt-end of the blocks the outer faces are out off in short abrupt curves a a, so that the neckbandwill not have any sharp break in it.

It is necessary when the neckband-former is expanded to fit theneckband that it shall be made rigid to resist the pressure of the sadiron, and this I accomplish by some adjustable brace, which I have here illustrated at E h, which consists of a link, E, pivoted at i to one block, and provided with a slot, 9, through which passes a binding-screw, h, to hold the blocks at any desired distance apart. In order that the blocks may be automatically adjustable to the size of the neckband, I insert between the blocks a spring, (here shown as a coiled spring, 1),) which tends to keep the blocks normally separated. The blocks being closed and the binding-screw h down, the former is inserted within the neckband. The screw is then raised, and as link E is loosened the spring D throws the blocks apart to distend the neckband. It will thus be seen that the former is self-adjusting to various sizes of neckbands.

Having thus described my invention, whatI claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The two pivoted blocks A B, in combination with an intermediate spring, I), to keep the blocks normally distended, and an adjustable fastening device,E h, for the purpose set forth.

CHARLES A. GILBERT. Witnesses:

N. L. COLLAMER, R. K. EVANS. 

